Telescopic folding crutch



p 3, 1966 o. BORUVKA TELESCOPIC FOLDING CRUTCH 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1964 I N V EN TOR. fio/uv/ra p 3, 1966 o. BORUVKA TELESCOPIC FOLDING CRUTCH 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1964 INVENTOR.

BY fia/z/u/va ,4 W I ATTUR/VEYS.

P 1966 o. BORUVKA TELESCUPIC FOLDING CRUTCH 5 SheetsSheet 5 Filed Sept. 24, 1964 INVENTOR.

Bo/"u Ma A7TURNEYS.

United States Patent 3,272,210 TELESCOPIC FOLDING CRUTCH Otto Boruvka, 433 E. 75th St, New York, N.Y. Filed fiept. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 398,868 9 Claims. (Cl. 135-50) This invention relates to improvements in crutches and more particularly to a crutch that can be connected to the shoe of the user so that the shoe takes the place of the hand in actuating the crutch.

An object of the present invention is to provide a crutch construction with a shoe attachment for transmitting the movement of the shoe of the user to the crutch.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crutch construction having means for interlocking with the arm pit and having means of connection to the shoe of the user, whereby the movement of the shoe is imparted to the crutch.

A further object is to provide a crutch construction with means for adjusting the overall length thereof.

Yet another object is to provide a crutch construction With a handle having means for adjusting the position of the handle to accommodate the handle to users of various heights.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a crutch construction that permits the crutch to be used virtually unnoticed.

Yet another object is to provide a crutch construction which may be constructed from aluminum or magnesium tubing or the like whereby the crutch may be extremely strong yet light in weight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crutch construction that may readily be adjusted with relation to the arm and legs for personal use, and rigidly locked in adjusted position to insure comfort and safety and to assure facile manipulation by the user.

For further comprehension of the invention and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a crutch construction embodying one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan detail view of the heel attachment shown attached to the heel of the shoe of a user.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the crutch construction of FIG. 1 in operative use.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a perspective disassembled view of the handle and parts.

FIG. 8 is a part elevational and part sectional View of the heel attachment shown in operative and inoperative positions.

FIG. 8A is an elevational view of a modified form of heel attachment, parts being broken away.

FIG. 9 is a top perspective view of another modified form of heel attachment, parts being shown in section.

FIG. 10 is a similar view of still another modified form of heel attachment.

FIG. 11 is a similar view of yet another modified form of heel attachment, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of a crutch construction embodying a still further modified form of the invention, parts being shown broken away.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the crutch construction of FIG. 12 in operative use.

FIG. 14 is a part front elevational and part sectional view of a fragment of the crutch construction of FIG. 12.

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the parts of FIG. 14 in collapsed condition.

FIG. 16 is a rear elevational view of the parts of FIG. 14.

FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 17--17 of FIG. 14.

FIG. 18 is a part sectional and part elevational view of a fragment of another modification of the invention.

FIG. 19 is an elevational view of a fragment of another modification of the invention.

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken on the line 2020 of FIG. 19, the handle having been turned through ninety degrees.

Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawings, in FIG. 1 a crutch construction made in accordance with one form of the invention is shown and designated generally at 20. The crutch construction comprises an elongated tubular staff 22, round in cross section, preferably formed of metal such as magnesium or aluminum but may be made of any other suitable metal. At one end, the top end as viewed in FIG. 1, a tubular arm section 24 is slidably mounted, the top end being provided with spaced threaded holes 26 which are longitudinally spaced for registering with opposed holes 28 in the tubular section 24 to receive an internally threaded cylindrical socket member 30 and a screw 31 extending thereinto in order to hold the section in moved adjusted position on the staff. A curved arm rest 32 is formed integrally with the top of the section 24 and a pad 34 of similar shape is placed on top of the arm rest. A rubber cap 36 is fitted over the other bottom end of the staff.

Midway its ends, the staff is formed with a series of holes 38 spaced longitudinally thereof. A short cylindrical wooden handle 40 round in cross section is supported on the stair by means of an internally threaded cylindrical socket 42 extending loosely through a transverse hole 44 in the handle midway its ends, the handle being countersunk around the hole at one side thereof for accommodating the handle to the staff 20. An externally threaded headed screw 46 extends through one of the holes 38, through the hole 44 in handle 40 and into the socket 42. By reason of this construction, the handle 40 may be turned on the socket 42 so that the planes of the bodies of both the handle and staff are in alignment as shown in FIG. 4.

In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for attaching the staff 22 to the heel 50 of a shoe 52 of the user is provided, the apparatus being indicated generally at 54. This apparatus consists of a metal tube 56 from one end of which radially extends a bracket in the form of a looped strap 58, with opposed flanged ends 60 welded to a horseshoe shaped adjustable spring metal band 62. A nail 64 is carried by the bight portion 66 of the band, extending inwardly for insertion into the heel 50 of the shoe 52, to secure the band in position on the heel. A threaded bolt 68 passes through opposed holes 70 in the ends of the band, spanning the space between the ends of the band. A wing nut 72 on the protruding end of the bolt serves to clamp the band on the periphery of the heel of the shoe as shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4. The bracket 58 is slidably mounted along the tube 56 and is held against displacement thereon by means of a screw 73 and nut 75 assembly, the screw passing through opposed holes in the leg portion of the bracket and the wing nut 75 threaded on the protruding end of the screw. The strap is shown on the bottom of the tube 56 in FIG. 1 for securement to the heel of a shoe on the right foot of the user.

A rubber tube 74 is sleeved over the staff remote from the bottom end thereof and is suitably secured in place for limiting the upward sliding movement of the apparatus and for serving as a bumper to cushion the shocks.

In use, with the cap 36 and apparatus 54 removed from the staff and the handle 40 swung into alignment with the staff 20, the heel 50 of the shoe 52 is inserted through the band 62 and the nail 64 driven home, after which the bolt 68 is inserted through the ends of the band and tightened by means of the wing nut 72 whereby the apparatus is fixedly secured to the heel. The staff is inserted through a leg 78 of the users trousers 80. The apparatus with the shoe 52 is restored to the bottom of the staff by sliding the tube 56 therealong after which the cap 36 is restored to position. The users foot is next placed in the shoe. The arm rest 32 is placed under the armpit. The user may now walk along in the usual manner. In FIG. 4, the crutch construction is shown connected to the foot of the right leg, and as the right foot is lifted from the dash line position of FIG. 4 to the full line position therein, and from the full line position to the dash line position, the apparatus 54 slides up and down striking the bumper 74 on the way up. The armpit of the user and the trouser leg hold the crutch construction in upright position against displacement. The arms and hands of the user are free as seen in FIG. 4 for any other work desired. The bumper 74 absorbs any shocks encountered during walking.

In FIG. 9, modified means for mounting the band 62 onto the staff 22' is shown. In this form, the tube and bracket are formed integrally resulting in an internally screw threaded ring 84 with a fiat bracket 86 welded to the band 62. The threaded ring 84 coacts with external threads 88 formed on the staff 22.

FIG. illustrates another modified form of mounting for the band 62 including a smooth ring 90 having a flat bracket 92 radiating tangentially from the outer periphery of the ring and terminating in a flange 94 welded to the band 62.

In another modified form of mounting for the band 62 shown in FIG. 11, a rubber tapered cap 96 is slipped over the closed bottom end of the staff 22" and a bracket 98 extends through a slot in the bottom of the staff on one side thereof and into and across the space therein Where it is welded to the inner surface of the opposite side as indicated at 100. The bracket extends radially of the bottom end of the staff through a slot 102 in the cap 96. The outer free end of the bracket is formed with a flange 104 welded to the band 62.

FIG. 8A shows a modified manner of mounting the band 62 onto the staff which is sectional having a main section 106 and an auxiliary section 108 slidably mounted on the bottom end of the main section of the staff. The main section 106 is slotted as indicated at 110 and the auxiliary section 108 carries a pin 112 riding in said slot. This permits adjustment of the auxiliary section on the main section. The auxiliary section is formed with opposed threaded holes 114 through which extends a threaded rod 116 secured at one end by welding or the like to the band 62.

In FIGS. 12 and 13, another modified form of crutch construction 2011 is illustrated. The crutch construction 20a differs from crutch construction 20 merely in the construction of the staff 22a which in the present form is sectional and articulated consisting of an upper section 120, a bottom section 122 and an intermediate section 124 as viewed in FIG. 12. Upper section 120 is connected to the intermediate section 124 by means of a pivot joint 126 including a pivot -pin 128 extending through openings in slotted extensions 130 and 132 respectively in the sections 120 and 124. A sleeve 134 loosely encases the joint and is limited in its downward movement by means of a protruding pin 136.

The bottom section 122 is connected to the intermediate section 124 by means of a pivot joint 138 including a pivot pin 140 extending through openings in slotted extensions 142 and 144 respectively in the sections 122 and 124. A sleeve 146 loosely encases the joint and is limited in its downward movement by means of a protruding pin 148.

The handle 40a is mounted in intermediate section 124 and is similar in construction and mounting to handle 40 of FIG. 1.

In all other respects, the crutch construction 20a is similar to crutch construction 20 and similar reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts throughout.

In use, the crutch construction 20a is used outside and not inside the leg of the trouser as with crutch construction 20, as shown in FIG. 13. The band 62 of the apparatus 54 is fixedly secured to the heel 50 of the shoe 52 and the arm rest 32 placed under the armpit. By the mere operation of sitting down the crutch construction can be automatically articulated or collapsed at the joints 126 and 138 after the sleeves 134 and 146 are manually moved away from the joint, accommodating the user to a sitting position as shown in FIG. 13.

In FIGS. 14 to 17, inclusive, a sectional and jointed staff 22x similar to staff 22a with modified handle construction 40x is shown. The staff 22x consists of an upper staff section 120x, 2. bottom staff section 122x and an intermediate staff section 124x. Sleeves 134x and 146x slidably encase the joints. The handle construction 40x consists of a rectangular semicircular cross-sectional plate 150 pivotally supported at its center by a pivot pin 152 extending through the plate and into the staff section 124x. A spring finger 154 extends from the middle of one long edge of the plate and carries a pin 156 at its free end. A link member 158 has one end pivotally connected to the bottom end of staff section 120x and its other end offset and pivoted to one end of the handle plate 150. A link member 160 has one end pivotally connected to the top end of staff section 122x and its other end offset and pivotally connected to the other end of plate 150, as best seen in FIG. 15. When the stac sections are in normal aligned position as seen in FIG. 14, the link members 158 and 160 are in alignment with the sections 120x and 122x respectively, and the pin 156 carried by finger 154 is inserted in a hole 162 in link member 158 holding the parts in aligned condition. When it is desired to collapse the staff as shown in FIG. 15, the pin 156 is withdrawn from hole 162. The staff sections are then pressed manually .to break the joints therebetween whereupon the parts assume the positions shown in FIG. 15, with the handle plate at an acute angle to the intermediate staff section 124x and the link members parallel to the intermediate staff section 124x, thereby permitting the user to sit down as shown in FIG. 13.

In FIG. 18, a modified form of wooden handle 40xx is shown pivotally mounted on a modified form of solid wooden staff 22xx. The staff has a transverse opening 166 round in cross section of reduced diameter at one end and internally screw threaded as indicated at 168. Into the opening 166, there is fitted an internally screw threaded sleeve socket 170 having an externally screw threaded reduced end 172 threaded into the threaded opening end 168.

The wooden handle 40xx is rounded in cross section and cylindrical in configuration with a recess 174 formed in one side thereof midway its ends. A passage 176 leads from the recess to the other side of the handle intersecting said other side. A headed screw 178 extends through the passage and into the sleeve socket 170, with the head of the screw seating in the recess 174. A washer 180 is preferably interposed between the staff and handle around the socket sleeve. The handle can thus be turned.

FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate a modified form of staff section 124xxx and handle structure 40xxx. The staff section is formed with a recess 184 extending longitudinally thereof at its center and intersecting the side of the staff in the form of a narrow slot 186. The handle 40xxx is a solid wooden. cylinder with a recess 188 midway its ends and a slot 190 intersecting the recess and periphery of the handle. A headed bolt 192 extends out from the recess in the handle into and through the slot in the staff and .through a nut 194 disposed in the recess in the staff. The handle can thus be moved along the slot 186 as seen in FIG. 19.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is tobe understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, and apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff including a horseshoe band adapted to encircle the heel, the free ends of said band having opposed holes therein, and a threaded bolt in said holes spanning the space between the ends, one end of the bolt extending beyond one of the ends and a wing nut on the extending end of the bolt for adjustably securing the band to the heel.

2. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, and apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff including a sleeve slidably mounted on the other bottom end of the staff, a bracket carried by said sleeve and radiating therefrom, a horseshoe shaped band fixed on the outer end of the bracket for encircling the heel of a shoe, a nail projecting inwardly from the bight portion of the band for fixedly securing the band to the heel, the free ends of the band having opposed holes therein, and a threaded bolt extending through said holes and extending outwardly of one of said holes, and a wing nut on the outwardly extending end of the bolt for adjustably securing the band around the heel.

3. In a crutch construction, an elongated stafi round in cross section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, and apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff including a sleeve slidably mounted on the other bottom end of the staff, a bracket carried by said sleeve and radiating therefrom, a horseshoe shaped band fixed on the outer end of the bracket for encircling the heel of a shoe, a nail projecting inwardly from the bight portion of the band for fixedly securing the band to the heel, the free ends of the band having opposed holes therein, and a threaded bolt extending through said holes and extending outwardly of one of said holes, and a wing nut on the outwardly extending end of the bolt for adjustably securing the band around the heel, and a bumper on the staff above the sliding sleeve for limiting upward sliding movement of the sleeve.

4. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, and apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff including a sleeve slidably mounted on the other bottom end of the staff, a bracket carried by said sleeve and radiating therefrom, a horseshoe shaped band fixed on the outer end of the bracket for encircling the heel of a shoe, a nail projecting inwardly from the bight portion of the band for fixedly securing the band to the heel, the free ends of the band having opposed holes therein, and a threaded bolt extending through said holes and extending outwardly of one of said holes, and a wing nut on the outwardly extending end of the bolt for adjustably securing the band around the heel, and a handle slidably and adjust-ably mounted on the staff midway the ends thereof.

5. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, and apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when Walking the movement of the shoe to the staff including a sleeve slidably mounted on the other bottom end of the staff, a bracket carried by said sleeve and radiating therefrom, a horseshoe shaped band fixed on the outer end of the bracket for encircling the heel of a shoe, a nail projecting inwardly from the bight portion of the band for fixedly securing the band to the heel, the free ends of the band having opposed holes therein, and a threaded bolt extending through said holes and extending outwardly of one of said holes, and a wing nut on the outwardly extending end of the bolt for adjustably securing the band around the heel, and a handle slidably and adjustably mounted on the staff midway the ends thereof, and a guard on the arm rest and a cap on the bottom end of the staff, and a bumper on the staff above the sliding sleeve for limiting upward sliding movement of the sleeve.

6. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross-section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff, including a band adapted to encircle the heel and be fixed thereto, said staff being sectional and collapsible with pivotal joints between the sections, a handle pivotally mounted on one of the sections, and means carried by the handle to prevent collapse of the sections.

7. -In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross-section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff, including a band adapted to encircle the heel and be fixed thereto, said staff being sectional and collapsible with pivotal joints between the sections, a handle pivotally mounted on one of the sections, a link member pivotally connected at one end to one end of the handle, the other end being connected to one of the other sections, a second link mem'ber pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the handle, the other end of said second link member being connected to the other of said sections, one of said link members having a hole therein, a spring finger radiating from the handle midway its ends and a pin carried at the end of said finger for releasable engagement in the hole in the link member to hold the parts against collapse.

8. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross-section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, apparatus slidably and removably mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff, including a band adapted to encircle the heel and be fixed thereto, said staff being wooden with a transverse opening having an internally screw threaded end reduced in diameter, an internally screw threaded sleeve socket in said opening, and a Wooden handle round in crosssection rotatably connected to said staff, said connection including a headed and threaded bolt carried by the handle extending through the sleeve socket in the staff 7 and threaded in the threaded end of the opening in the staff.

9. In a crutch construction, an elongated staff round in cross-section, an arm rest adjustably supported at one end of the staff, apparatus slidably and removably 5 mounted at the other end of the staff for attaching the staff to a heel of the shoe of the user for transmitting when walking the movement of the shoe to the staff, including a band adapted to encircle the heel and be fixed thereto, said staff being recessed and slotted midway its ends, the slot intersecting the side of the staff, a wooden handle slidably mounted in said recess and slot, said mounting including a nut in the recess in the staff, said handle having a recess midway its ends, a headed threaded bolt in said latter recess projecting outwardly of the handle and through the slot in the staff where it is threaded to the nut in the recess in the staff, and a washer on the latter bolt interposed between the handle and staff.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 39,854 9/1863 Wemple 13550 X 1,311,145 7/1919 Zeindler et al. 1,939,097 12/1933 Bauman 12880 2,512,826 6/1950 Clark 128-80 FOREIGN PATENTS 486,015 12/1917 France.

61,103 3/1892 Germany.

5 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

L. J. SANTISI, W. E. HEATON, Assistant Examiners. 

1. IN A CRUTCH CONSTRUCTION AN ELONGATED STAFF ROUND IN CROSS SECTION, AN ARM REST ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTED AT ONE END OF THE STAFF, AND APPARATUS SLIDABLY AND REMOVABLY MOUNTED AT THE OTHER END OF THE STAFF FOR ATTACHING THE STAFF TO A HEEL OF THE SHOE OF THE USER FOR TRANSMITTING WHEN WALKING THE MOVEMENT OF THE SHOE TO THE STAFF INCLUDING A HORSESHOE BAND ADAPTED TO ENCIRCLE THE HEEL, THE FREE ENDS OF SAID BAND HAVING OPPOSED HOLES THEREIN, AND A THREADED BOLT IN SAID HOLES SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE ENDS, ONE END OF THE BOLT EXTENDING BEYOND ONE OF THE ENDS AND A WING NUT ON THE EXTENDING END OF THE BOLT FOR ADJUSTABLY SECURING THE BAND TO THE HEEL. 